


The Best Laid Plans

by Mauve_Avenger



Series: Detective Kaji [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 10:18:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18281069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mauve_Avenger/pseuds/Mauve_Avenger
Summary: Zuko's ready to take the plunge with Katara, and he's got a plan. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. Epilogue to "Face in the Crowd".





	The Best Laid Plans

**Author's Note:**

> This is a pure fluff follow up to "Face in the Crowd". It means absolutely nothing, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Zuko sloshed the dark liquid around his mug. The urge to check his watch was almost unbearable, but the baristas were beginning to look at him strangely.The last thing he wanted right then was attention. Finally, the door swung open and someone rushed over to the table from behind Zuko.

 

“Sorry I’m late,” Sokka panted. “I had to finish some blueprints and get them to a messenger.”

 

“It’s fine,” Zuko mumbled.

 

“What are you having?” Sokka asked. He waved a server over.

 

‘I got tea,” Zuko said. Sokka made a face and ordered a large black coffee.

 

“I haven’t slept more than five hours in the last three days,” he said. “My blood is mostly coffee at this point. I hope you appreciate what a sacrifice I’m making by meeting you here instead of crawling into bed and hibernating for a week.”

 

“I _do_ appreciate it,” Zuko said earnestly. Sokka paused at that, and knit his eyebrows together in concern.

 

“Everything alright, man?” he asked. “You and Katara doing okay?” Zuko sat up and nodded.  
  
“Everything’s great with Katara,” he said. “Better than, actually. I...I’d like to ask her to marry me.” Sokka’s eyes widened  and he leaned back in his chair.

 

“This isn’t where you ask my permission to marry my sister, is it?” he asked. “Because I’m telling you right now, that’s _not_ my business.” Zuko balked and shook his head.

 

“Of _course_ I’m not asking your permission,” he almost shouted. He winced and glanced around. Aside from a few irritated looks, no one seemed to be paying attention. He lowered his voice. “I’m not asking your permission. Do you know what Katara would _do_ to me?” Sokka nodded solemnly.

 

“She’s getting scary good at judo,” he said. “She’d absolutely wreck you.” He folded his hands and leaned forward in a very businesslike manner. “So if it’s not my permission you want, what is it?”  

  
“Um...your advice, I guess,” Zuko said. He rubbed the back of his neck. Sokka shook his head.

 

“I don’t know,” he said. “If you’re asking me what Katara’s taste in jewelry is, you’ve come to the wrong place. Suki will be in town in a couple of weeks. I can ask her to help you find out.”  Zuko’s hand went to his pocket and he shook his head.

 

“No, that’s okay,” he declined. “That’s not what I need help with. I’m...not great with the romantic stuff.” Zuko was sure he looked as miserable as he felt. His shoulders had crept up to his ears and his hands were balled in his lap. Sokka on the other hand looked amused.

 

“What makes you think I’d be any good at that?” he asked. “I proposed to Suki over video chat.”

 

“She said yes, though,” Zuko pointed out. Sokka sighed and took a long sip of coffee.  
  
“Look,” he said. “I try not to get involved in Katara’s love life, but you’re asking me point blank, so here it goes. Katara's crazy about you. It'd be sickening if I wasn't so glad to see her happy. If you ask her to marry you, I’m almost 100% sure she’ll say yes. You literally can’t do this wrong.”

 

“I want it to be special, though!” Zuko insisted. “She deserves a special proposal.” Sokka snorted into his coffee.

 

“You could take on another serial killer together,” he suggested. “She’s your girlfriend now. They'll probably let her in the ICU this time. Deathbed proposals are super romantic.”

 

“How is that helpful?” Zuko scowled at his friend. Sokka chuckled and waved his hand.

 

“I kid. I kid!” He said.

 

“That's not funny,” Zuko grumbled. “Can you please be serious?”

 

“I'll try,” Sokka replied with a shrug. “No promises though.” Zuko made a face at him. “What? Did it ever occur to you that this might be a weird conversation for _me_ ? I like you and all, but, this is my baby sister, we're talking about. What if someone were asking you for   _your_ sister's hand in marriage?”

 

“I'm _not_ asking-” Zuko started to say irritably. He huffed and folded his arms. “Whatever. Look, are you going to help me or not?”

 

“Yeah, I'll help.” Sokka drained the rest of his coffee. “Oh! How about you ask her after a fight? You start an argument, and once you've worked her up, you diffuse it by proposing.” Zuko scowled at his friend.

 

“If you didn't want to help me, you could have just said so.”

 

“ _What_ ?” Sokka threw his hands up to the sides. “ _Suki_ looks adorable when she's mad.”

 

“You have problems,” Zuko told his friend shaking his head. “Why _did_ Suki agree to marry you? She seems so smart.” Sokka glared at Zuko.

 

“Well I don't hear _you_ coming up with anything.” Zuko rubbed his eyebrow in thought.

 

“I could rent a billboard,” Zuko said at last. “Along the highway she takes for work.” Sokka shook his head.

 

“Are you _trying_ to make Katara crash?” he asked. “Besides, there's a good chance she won't even be paying attention to the billboards while she's driving. And even if she was, you won't be in the car when she sees it.”

 

“Alright, alright!” Zuko said.

 

“I’m just saying.” Sokka shrugged. “Besides, I don't think Katara would like such a public proposal. It's pretty lame, bro.” Zuko groaned and hit his forehead against the table a few times.

 

“I _told_ you I'm no good at this.”  

 

“You’re just overthinking this,” Sokka said kindly. “Look, just take her to a nice restaurant and ask her over dessert or something.”

 

“But I want it to be really special,” Zuko insisted. “A restaurant isn’t anything memorable.”

 

“It could be.” Sokka leaned back in his chair and stroked his chin. He hadn’t shaved in a few days, so he had the scruffy beginnings of a beard growing. After a moment, Sokka snapped his fingers. “Why don’t you take her to Ming Xi’s?”

 

“What’s Ming Xi’s?” Zuko asked, wrinkling his nose.

 

“It’s a new restaurant that just opened in the Sagawa district,” Sokka told him. “It’s crazy ritzy, and it has a balcony that overlooks the bay. I was planning to take Suki to celebrate our engagement, but I couldn’t get a reservation during her leave.” Sokka sighed sadly. “That’s what I get for falling for a soldier. Anyway, the place is pure class. Waiters in fancy uniforms; great food; dancing. The whole nine.”

 

“Well…” Zuko seemed unconvinced, but as Sokka would shortly point out, he didn't have any other ideas.

 

“Think about it, anyway,” Sokka urged him. “Or you could always ask Toph.” Zuko shook his head vehemently.

 

“ _No_ way! She'll tell Katara,” he said. As fond as he has grown of Katara's best friend over the last year and a half, Zuko had learned that Toph couldn't be trusted to keep a secret for any length of time. “By the way, you can't tell anyone about this either.”

 

“What?” Sokka's face fell. “You didn't say that when you asked me to meet you!”

 

“Please, Sokka,’ Zuko begged. Sokka groaned. This would be the only thing on his mind whenever he spoke to Katara.

 

“I can't even tell Suki?” Zuko shook his head.

 

“No one,” he said. “I want it to be a surprise.” Sokka rolled his eyes.

 

“Fine,” he grumbled. “I'll keep your stupid secret.”

 

“Thanks, Sokka.” Zuko laid some money out on the table. “Coffee’s on me."

-:-:-:-:-:-

“I have to say, I’m surprised you came to me for this,” Azula said. She set her glass of wine aside and looked across the table at her brother. Zuko for his part, kept his eyes carefully away from the glass- her third since he had arrived at her apartment less than an hour ago. As she had promised, Azula had abstained from drinking during Zuko’s tenure with Sozin, nearly two years earlier. When it was over, she told him to never interfere with her habits again. Zuko complied, albeit reluctantly.

 

“There’s no one else who could help me with this,” he replied. He crossed his ankle over his knee and bounced his leg up and down nervously. Azula smirked.

 

“And here you thought your family ties had nothing to offer you.” She leaned back in her chair. “Are you sure you want to do this? Marriage is a big step. Even _you_ have other options to explore.”

 

“I’m sure,” Zuko told her firmly. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” Azula smiled slightly.

 

“I’ll call the restaurant for you,” she promised. “And I’ll refrain from reminding Katara that she can do better.”  Zuko favored her with a wry stare.

 

“I appreciate it.” And he really did.

 

Zuko had tried to get reservations for the restaurant on his own, but it was booked solid for the next three months. He didn’t want to wait that long. He knew from growing up in his father’s house that high end restaurants kept one or two tables free for VIP guests. All it took was an in with the right person, or the right amount of personal clout. Zuko no longer had either, but as he suspected, Azula did. Their relationship was still on the cool end of familial love, but she agreed to do this for him, and Zuko was honestly grateful.

 

“I can’t wait to see how Mai is going to take this,” Azula commented with a smirk.

 

“What is your obsession with updating Mai about my love life?” Zuko asked. He scowled at her. “We’ve been over for years. Move on.”  Azula shrugged.

 

“Mai is more interesting when she’s brooding about something,” she told Zuko. “The fact that you’re getting married while she can’t get a second date is just the sort of thing to set her off.”

 

“How on earth do you have _any_ friends?” Zuko wondered out loud. Azula flashed a saccharine  smile and shrugged.

 

“Just my natural charm, I suppose.” She took another long sip of wine. “Just so you know, this place has a strict dress code. Make sure your girlfriend has something nice to wear. I’d hate for her to be embarrassed on the... _ahem…_ happiest day of her life.” Zuko glared at his sister. It was time for him to leave. He stood and started for the door when he paused midstep.

 

“Wait,” he said. “Dress code?” Azula picked up her phone and opened the web browser.

 

“Let me know her size, and I’ll send you something for her, you hopeless idiot.” For a moment, Zuko thought the insult sounded like an endearment.

 

“Thanks, Azula,” he said. “For everything.” Azula nodded.

 

“You’re welcome...Zuzu.” Yes, it was definitely time for Zuko to leave.

 

-:-:-:-:-:-

 

Katara was drained when she got home from work. Somehow she thought interning at the mayor's office would be less hectic. Unfortunately, she had proven  herself more than capable of preparing political speeches, and Mayor Arnook was gearing up for primary season. She sighed and kicked off her pumps at the front door.

 

“Sokka,” she called into the darkened house. “Are you home?” There was no answer. That was okay with Katara. She had a date with Zuko that evening, and if her brother wasn’t home, she could blast her getting ready music as loud as she wanted. Katara flipped the hall light on and froze.

 

There was a fancy blue envelope sitting on the table by the door. Katara's heart thudded in her chest, and she had to actively keep herself from bolting. She swept her eyes over the foyer and  checked the lock on the front door. Then with a trembling hand she opened the envelope. To her immense relief, she recognized her boyfriend's flowing script.

 

_I left a surprise for you in your room. I'll pick you up for dinner at eight._

 

_Love always,_

_Zuko_

 

He had been refusing to tell Katara where they were going all week. The whole evening was shrouded in mystery. She checked her watch. She only had an hour and a half to get ready, and she had no idea how to prepare.

 

“That brat!” she grumbled. Still, she ran up to her room to see what gift Zuko had left.

 

The evening dress was breathtaking. It was made of a shimmery fabric that felt like silk and flowed to her knees. There was also a shoe box that contained a pair of the most stunning heels that Katara had ever seen off of a runway. Whatever Zuko had planned, it was going to be fancy. She held the dress up to herself and twirled around her room. Her earlier tiredness was forgotten in her excitement as she planned her hair and makeup.

 

By the time the doorbell rang at just before 8 pm, Katara had made a complete transformation. She stood in the middle of the room, smoothing out the front of her dress, and trying to calm the excited fluttering in her stomach. The sound of the front door opening startled her. She scowled at her reflection in the mirror. One day, she swore to herself, she would hear her door open without her heart leaping into her throat.

 

“Katara, you home?” Sokka shouted from downstairs.

 

“Yeah.” She grabbed her shoes and went down to the living room. Sokka paused where he was sorting through his mail and let out a low whistle.

 

“You clean up nice, sis,” he said. “Zuko actually has good taste in clothes. Who knew?”

 

“Thanks!” Katara fiddled with the skirt of her dress nervously. “Hey, did Zuko say what he has planned?” Sokka had turned his attention back to the mail in his hands.

 

“He-ah- he _may_ have mentioned something,” he said. Katara stopped fidgeting with her clothes and turned her sharp, suspicious eyes on her brother.

 

“He _may_ have mentioned something?” she repeated. Sokka kept his eyes on his mail. There was an official looking envelope in the pile which gave him an excuse not to look at Katara. She would immediately see it in his eyes if he lied. He could have kicked himself for his answer.

 

“Yeah,” he told her, opening the envelope. He frowned contemplatively as he read over the advertisement for bulk blueprint paper. “It’s your anniversary, right?”

 

“No,” Katara said slowly. She took a few steps towards Sokka. He fought to keep the panic from his face. “It’s not our anniversary for another four months.”

 

“Then, I’m not sure what the occasion is.” Sokka folded the flyer up and sighed as if he had just gotten some bad news. He ran his hand over his face so Katara couldn’t read him. “You’re about the graduate. Maybe he’s taking you for an early celebration.”

 

“Hmm.” Katara thought about that for a moment. “Maybe that’s it.” Sokka resisted the urge to look too closely at her. Instead he recognized his opening and took it. He shifted anxiously on his feet and waved the folded up advertisement in Katara’s direction.

 

“Listen, I’m sorry I can’t be more help, but I have to take care of this.”

 

“What is it?” Katara asked. Sokka pulled the paper close to his chest and stepped back.

 

“Government stuff,” he lied. “Someone is panicking about something and apparently only _I_ can help.” Katara raised an eyebrow at him but shrugged.

 

“Well, have fun with that,” she said. She turned back to fussing with her dress to Sokka’s immense relief.

 

“Yeah, you too.” Sokka  turned and almost ran up the stairs to his room. “Have a great time. Don’t wake me if you get in late.” He slammed his door shut and winced. He waited a moment, but Katara didn’t seem to have noticed. Sokka sighed and sank against his door. He was so glad that tonight was the big night. He was terrible at keeping secrets.

 

Downstairs, Katara double checked her purse once more. She was carrying  a small clutch for the evening, so there wasn’t much to check. Her phone, lipstick, bank card and pepper spray where all where she had left them. Still, she pulled them out and rearranged them again. Just as she was about to call Sokka back to keep her company, the doorbell rang. Katara leapt to her feet and rushed to the door. She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face when she saw Zuko.

 

“Wow…” she whispered. He was as dressed up as she was in a dark suit with a red shirt. It played up the color and warmth of his eyes in the most captivating way. Zuko’s face blushed deep enough to rival his shirt at Katara’s reaction.

 

“Um…” He cleared his throat and smiled shakily. “Back at you.” Katara really did look incredible, and he made a mental note to thank Azula for picking out her dress. Zuko held his arm out to Katara, hoping that she wouldn’t notice the way his hands shook.

 

“So galant!” Katara cooed. She slipped her arm through his and let him lead her to the car. “Where are we going?”

 

“You’ll see,” Zuko laughed. He held the passenger door open. Katara paused as she climbed inside.

 

“Come on!” she begged. “I’ve been going crazy all week!” Zuko just shook his head.

 

“Another twenty minutes won’t kill you.”

  
“Rude!” Katara sniffed haughtily. Zuko shut the door and rushed around to the driver’s seat. Once they were on the road, he took Katara’s hand in his. She turned her palm up and laced their fingers together.

 

“Are you excited about graduating?” Zuko asked. Katara sighed and let her head fall backwards against the headrest.

 

“I thought I was,” she admitted. “I’m glad to not be in school anymore, but now I have to actually go find a job.”  Zuko glanced over at her quickly and grinned.

 

“Welcome to the real world, my love.” Katara laughed and tightened her hold on his hand.

 

“I love it when you call me that,” she told him. The tip of  Zuko’s ear burned and he fought valiantly against the ecstatic grin threatening to overtake his face. They had come to a red light so he could look at Katara.

 

“You do?” he asked. “Good to know.” Katara smirked mischievously.

 

“I also love that I can still make you blush after all this time.” She brushed his hair back, and the flush on Zuko's face deepened. It was a powerful feeling knowing that she could still fluster him as often as he could still make butterflies appear in her stomach.

 

There was a relatively short, but  secluded stretch of highway that led up to  Ming Xi’s. The owner had chosen this spot intentionally to create the feeling of leaving Republic City behind. Ming Xi had paid a bit more to have as few lights as legally possible along the road so that the closer guests got to the restaurant, the more stars would be visible. Katara scanned the sky for the constellations she had learned when she was a kid, and Zuko watched her from the corner of his eye.

 

Despite later admitting to being a bit distracted, Zuko would insist what happened next was absolutely not his fault. He didn't think he would have seen whatever it was that punctured his tire even if his focus _had_ been completely on the road. Regardless, he was able to right the car before it crashed into the steep gorge at the side of the road.

 

“Tui and La!” Katara gasped. She clung to the door and her seat with a grip that Zuko later claimed left marks. In the moment, though, his heart was trying to escape from his throat.

 

“Are you okay?” Zuko's voice was high and tight with fear.  He turned to Katara, trying to remember his emergency first aid training and scanning her for obvious injuries.

 

“I’m fine,” Katara assured him. Now that the car had stopped, she had calmed enough to realize they were both okay. “What happened?”

 

“A flat,” Zuko grumbled. He stepped out of the car to survey the damage. Something on the empty road had slashed the tire open. The remains of the rubber clung to the rim pathetically. Zuko had a patch kit in the car, but it was useless here. He would have to change the whole tire, he thought with a groan. That would set him back a good twenty minutes. Mentally, Zuko's crossed pre-dinner drinks and dancing from his itinerary for the evening and pulled the spare tire and tools from the trunk. By this time Katara had gotten out of the car and come up beside him.

 

“Need some help?”

 

“Nah,” he declined. “I've got it.”  It had been a long time since he had changed a tire, but he didn’t think it would be too difficult. He went to work on the lug nuts. Everything was going well until he got to the last one. The final lug nut refused to budge, no matter what Zuko did. He had managed to keep off the ground, but now he knelt on the ground in his dress pants. Grit and pebbles dug into his knees, but Zuko ignored it as he wrestled with the wrench.

 

“Is it moving at all?” Katara asked. Zuko grunted in response. Katara held a hand up to her mouth to hide a smile. She moved to Zuko’s side. “Here, let me help.” Zuko spared a glance at Katara’s dress- Azula had done a _really_ good job- but relented.

 

“Alright,” he said. Katara slipped out of her heels and motioned for Zuko to stand back. She stood on one of the arms of the lug wrench and bounced on it a few times.

 

“Wow!” she said. “This is _really_ on there.”

“What are you doing?” Zuko asked.

 

“What’s it... _grrnt_...look like?” She bounced a few more times before the nut suddenly came loose and the wrench gave. Zuko caught her before she hit the ground.

 

“I knew that would work!” Katara laughed. “We make a great team.”

 

“We should get uniforms,” Zuko suggest. Even in the minimal light, he could see the gleam in Katara's eye that promised a custom designed t-shirt in his very near future. She gave him a quick kiss and stepped out of his embrace.

 

“We should finish this up. I am so hungry right now.”  

 

“Oh, right!” Zuko sprang back to the task at hand. He rested the spare tire against the back bumper and started to jack the car up. Hope and excitement made his hands quick and his heart race. He was going to do it! He was going to get the tire changed and make it to the restaurant in time for their reservation!

  
“Zuko, wait!” Katara called out a split second before the spare tire started to roll down the embankment. Zuko and Katara ran after it, but it picked up speed and was out of their reach within moments. They stood at the edge of the drop off and watched helplessly as the tire disappeared into the dark and tangled mass of weeds. Zuko swore and started to take off his jacket.

 

“What are you doing?” Katara asked. Zuko pointed into the tangle of weeds at all of his plans for the evening.

 

“What’s it look like I’m doing?” He tossed his jacket into the open trunk. Katara grabbed his arm.

 

“Are you crazy?” She tugged on his arm, coaxing him away from the edge of the road. “You have no idea how far down it goes or what’s even in there. There could be glass or road kill.  We can call a tow.” Zuko looked from Katara to the drop off and back.

 

“But…” he sputtered helplessly. “But...I can just…” Katara leaned up and kissed him. As she hoped, it distracted him enough that she was able to lead him back to the side of the car. Defeated and already dirty from changing the tire, Zuko slid to the ground while Katara called the police station for a tow truck. When she was done, she sat down on the ground next to her. Zuko flinched when she did. Azula had assured him that it cost more than Katara’s entire wardrobe combined. He was sure his sister had been exaggerating, but still...

 

“The tow will be here in about half an hour,” Katara informed him.

 

“We're going to miss our reservation!’ Zuko lamented. He let his head fall back against the door and glared up at the starry night sky. Katara sat beside him and nudged his shoulder.

 

“Hey, don't worry about it,” she said. “At least it's a nice night.” Zuko groaned and ran his hand over his face.

 

“Nothing is going like I planned. This has been a disaster of an evening.”

 

“It has,” Katara sighed and lay her head on Zuko's shoulder. “But I'm still having a great time.”

 

“You can't be serious.” Zuko snorted. Katara lifted her head to meet Zuko's eyes. A fond, involuntary smile spread across her lips. She reached up and pushed a lock of his hair off of his forehead and lingered on his cheek. The deadpan look on Zuko's face had softened til he was almost smiling, too. Oh! How she loved this man

 

“I always have a good time with you,” she told him. She spoke soft and low, as if she were telling him a deep, dark secret.

 

“I have a good time with you, too.” Zuko leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. He thought of the table waiting for them at the restaurant. The flowers, sparkling wine and balcony under the stars were a lost cause. But as he sat by his car on the lonely stretch of highway, and no immediate means of getting anywhere fast, Zuko thought there was no place in the world he would rather be. He shut his eyes and pulled away from Katara.

 

“You okay?” Katara asked. Zuko reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box.

 

“As long as I'm with you, I'm great,’ he said. “This isn’t how I planned to do this, but honestly I feel like this is so on brand for us, and I don’t really want to wait… Katara, would you marry me?” He held out the box to her with a shy, nervous smile. Katara looked from the box, to Zuko, and back again. She stared blankly for a moment before her face lit up with a beaming smile.

 

“Ah-haha!” she laughed before she launched herself at her fiancé hard enough to knock him down, and kissed him happily.

 

“Is that a yes, then?” Zuko asked dazedly. Katara smiled down at him and nodded.

 

“Absolutely, yes!”


End file.
